Only a Week
by CPegasus
Summary: Pegasus fought against the contest. he didn't want some little kid running around his castle, much less a 16yearold girl. but it was only for a week, nothing would happen. PegasusOC, rating may eventually go up story on it's 3rd title, forgive me
1. it seemed like a bad idea at the time

Hey everyone, Cpegasus here. Some of you may remember that I used to have a very long, very boring mary-sue fic. This is my attempt to redeem my name. Please review, constructive criticism appreciated. Flames used to roast your OC's boyfriend/girlfriend, so be careful.

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"Please, Mr. Crawford, We have to do something for publicity. You haven't done anything since the tournament."

"So put out another new set of cards, I have plenty ready," Pegasus Crawford replied crossly. He sat in a meeting with his advertising and publicity people, getting pummeled by ideas for something, anything he could do to re-form his public image.

"We've been releasing new cards, it's not doing anything."

"I like the contest idea, myself," said one of the younger executives.

"Well I don't like the idea of some little kid living at my castle. That can't look very good, anyway." Pegasus sulked a little in his seat, laying his head down on his arms, folded on the table.

"No, I think it will be fine. We'll have to include a promise for the child's safety, whoever he may be. Perhaps a parent could go, too." A senior executive chimed in now. Others all around the table nodded their agreement.

"But-"

"Sir, it would increase sales of our newer packs, as well. For every few packs bought—should we say five?" the others nodded to the speaker. "For every five packs bought, the customer gets a chance to win. A week at Duelist Kingdom is a fabulous prize!"

"But I-"

"I know I'd want it," the younger one said. Others all through the room began to chatter excitedly.

"And I just have to put up with whoever ends up winning?" Pegasus asked.  
"It's only for a week, surely you can live with that, sir."

Pegasus sighed and stood up. "Fine, I can see I'm outnumbered. We'll go through with the contest. But let's just get it over with as soon as we can."

"It's May 13th today. We'll give the rest of May and all of June for entries to come in. The prize will be given in August."

"Fine." Still a bit sulky, Pegasus walked out of the room.

'They're right, of course,' he thought. 'Only a week...what harm could it do, really?'

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"Megan, did you hear? Industrial Illusions has a new contest!" 16-year-old Megan Hillborough turned around quickly, sending her long black hair flying around her head. She stared excitedly at her father, dropping her schoolbag at the door.

"What is it? What's the prize?"

"Right to the point, aren't you?" Her father chuckled, handing her the newspaper he was reading. "Don't get to distracted, you don't want to miss your school bus."

"Right, right," Megan said distractedly, taking the paper eagerly. She read aloud:

"NEW PUBLICITY STUNT BY INDUSTRIAL ILLUSIONS

Pegasus Crawford, creator of the popular Duel Monsters card game, announced the other day that he would be holding a contest as a publicity stunt. "The winner of the contest will spend a week here at Duelist Kingdom, along with the winner's parent or guardian, should they so desire," Crawford said. "Five wrappers from packs of Duel Monsters cards constitute an entry—just send them to us, along with your name, address and e-mail and you'll be eligible for the drawing." The drawing itself will take place on July 20th, and the winner will stay at Duelist Kingdom the week of August 15-21. The address is-"

Megan broke off reading. "Daddy, can I enter? Please? Please daddy, please please please daddy?"

Her father was laughing again. "Of course, sweetheart. Of course. And I'll tell you what, I'll go with you if you win."

"Daddy, no!" Megan cried. "You can't come!"

"I'm not leaving my precious little girl alone with a strange man for a week," he replied.

"Well come meet him and then leave!" she insisted.

"We'll talk about this later, dear, but-"Whatever he was about to say caught in his throat as Megan's bus drove past the open door. Both of them stood there for a minute, then Megan smiled and rubbed the back of her neck.

"Daddy, could you give me a ride to school?"

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July 21st. Megan floated through that day, having just received word of the winner of the contest. Better yet, her father had agreed to stay only the first night with her, leaving six days alone with Pegasus Crawford. She'd barely gotten the news of her win when she was on the phone celebrating with her best friend, Stephanie.

"Steph, can you believe it!? I'm gonna spend a whole week with him!"

"Megan, honey, don't get too excited," Stephanie's voice came over the phone. "Don't expect too much."

"Aw, come on Steph. We're totally made for each other. I just know it. You were there, remember? The first time I saw him, when he was here to promote Duel Monsters a couple of years ago."

"I remember. You were convinced that he smiled at you and wouldn't stop talking about it for months. How could I forget?"

"Stop being so negative, Steph," Megan pleaded, picking up the sarcasm in her friend's tone. "I love him. I know I do! And we'll be alone together for a whole week!" She smiled dreamily and hugged a stuffed bear to her chest.

"Like I said, don't get to excited. He's 25, honey."

"I know how old he is, thanks," Megan said with mock seriousness. "Just you wait," she added, resuming her normal, bouncy voice, "He's gonna fall madly in love with me the same way I did with him and we'll live happily ever after in his castle!"

"Don't get your hopes up..." Megan hung up the phone.

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'INDUSTRIAL ILLISIONS CONTEST OVER!

The recent publicity stunt by Industrial Illusions ended yesterday, with the drawing of the winner. Megan Hillborough, 16 of Brooklyn, NY, was picked as the winner, to spend a week at Duelist Kingdom with Pegasus Crawford the week of August 15. "I'm really excited," She said when questioned. "I just love Pegasus, and I can't wait to meet him!"

Pegasus put down his paper and sighed. Of all the people to enter, A teenage girl had to win. Of course. A week with this girl...

"What does she mean, she 'just loves me'?" he muttered. "Stupid girl. She doesn't know a thing about love..." With a glance at his favorite painting, he threw the paper into the wastebasket and left the room.


	2. First Meeting

Hey everyone, and thanks a million for the kind reviews this chapter probably stinks, since I'm still getting some exposition out. Expect it to pick up and become much more fun by chapter four, if not sooner. Thanks for reading!

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August 15 came, and Megan was brilliantly happy. For almost a month, she had obsessed over her trip, and finally it had come. With a suitcase packed for a week and a heart waiting to find true love, she set out alone to Duelist Kingdom. Her father, who was supposed to have joined her for the first day, hadn't been able to get away from his business.

As the private plane began to descend, Megan's heart began to pound. 'in just an hour or so, I'll finally meet him. I'll finally meet my love.'

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Pegasus stood on a balcony overlooking his island. The bad mood he'd had in May about the contest had faded, and he found himself actually looking forward to meeting this Megan girl. He was a little concerned, still, about her quite apparent crush on him, but he wouldn't lose sleep over it. As soon as she got to know him even a little bit, she would grow out of it. Maybe he would even be able to look back on this and laugh.

'It should be about an hour until she gets here. Only a week, I can handle this.'

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The plane landed at Duelist Kingdom, and Megan stepped out, face shining with joy. Pegasus stood by the main doors of his castle, waiting to greet her.

He was slightly taken aback when he first saw her. Whatever he had expected her to look like, it wasn't what he saw. She wasn't tall—her head only came up to his neck— but she was thin, too. Her hair was long, straight, and raven-colored: black but shining an iridescent blue-green in the sunlight. And as she ran forward to where he stood, he saw her eyes, bright, vivid green and very round. In spite of himself, he couldn't help thinking that she was pretty.

"Pegasus!" Running forward with a huge smile, Megan nearly toppled him over with a hug. Catching his balance against the castle wall, he blinked a few times and looked to Croquet, standing nearby, for help.

Croquet cleared his throat. "Miss, that's quite enough," he insisted, practically having to pull Megan off of her favorite celebrity.

Megan finally let go, laughing. Then she looked down, to where the luggage she had been carrying had fallen and exploded. "Oh shoot, I had this all packed for once, too..." She bent down and picked everything up, shoving it roughly into the suitcases.

Pegasus laughed softly. "Well I did have a nice long welcome speech planned, but I think you've just topped anything I could say," he said with a smile. She blushed and smiled back. "Well go on, Michael," he indicated a servant standing by the doorway, "Show her to her room."

"I don't get to hang out with you?" Megan asked, surprised.

He laughed again. "I'll see you tonight, but surely you'd like the afternoon to settle in." she pouted slightly, silently begging him. "Oh, we'll have a whole week together, can't you give me a few hours to myself?"

Megan's face lit up at the thought of the week ahead. "Okay," she said. Her voice was high and light. She picked up her bulging bags and followed the servant into the castle and down the hall.

Pegasus walked inside slowly, followed by Croquet.

"I've forgotten again, Croquet, what is this girl's name?"

"Megan Hillborough, sir."

"Megan. Right." He wandered around his entrance hall, stopping in front of a portrait on the wall. A blonde, blue-eyed girl in a frilled, light blue dress was the subject. She was running away and looking behind her, smiling and practically glowing with happiness.

"Megan would be a good singer." He traced the outline of the girl's face with a finger. "She was a good singer."

Pegasus felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned to see Croquet standing behind him. "Are you alright, sir?"

Pegasus smiled sadly, gently pushing Croquet's hand away. "Yes, of course. Thank you, old friend."

Pegasus and Croquet had been working together for as long as Pegasus had been alive. Pegasus had been born into a wealthy family, and his parents were never really there for him. Croquet had been young then, and working for the family. Eventually, he found a job looking after the young Pegasus, and became something of a father figure for the boy. When Pegasus found his own wealth, he took Croquet as his personal assistant, and chief butler. The two had remained close over the years.

"Let's go, I want to have this new advertising issue worked out by tonight."

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Megan was left alone in her room to unpack, and instantly flopped down onto her huge, fluffy bed. She sat up and pulled out her own deck of Duel Monsters cards, flipping through them and smiling.

"I'm here...I'm actually here...with him..." with another giant grin, she fell backwards hugging her deck to her heart.


	3. Dinner Conversation

hey everyone, thanks again for the great reviews i'm really glad i have people reading. don't expect chapters to come as quickly as they've been, though. i just happen to have a block on pretty much everything else i'm writing, and i'm anxious to get past the wrapper.

Sam: (my sane Yami) sighs i should explain. this stemms from a long, complicated metaphor, in which the middle of the story is the creamy center of a chocolate or twinkie, the fun parts directly in front of the middle are the chocolate, and the introductory and conclusion stages are the wrapper. what she is trying to say is that she wants to write the middle, but will get through this first.

CPegasus: never travel without a translator. but anyway, thanks a ton. enjoy!

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Megan didn't have a chance to see Pegasus again until dinner that first night, and she took the extra time to properly prepare. When she arrived, it was in her full glamour—or as close as she could get. In her sixteen-year-old mind, she was stunning.

Even in reality, she looked rather nice. Pegasus was taken aback again for a moment when she came into the dining room. She wore a long, red dress, not by coincidence the exact shade of Pegasus' favorite suit. Her black hair was still straight, but she'd found a less-than-perfect white rose to place behind her ear, and had pulled out a shining pair of ruby earrings.

"My, aren't we lovely tonight?" Pegasus asked suavely, taking her hand with a smile and kissing it. Megan giggled and blushed. "Come on now, I'm sure we have a lot to talk about." He allowed her to latch onto his arm, and they walked to a small table on the balcony.

Later, neither of them would remember what they ate. Megan was in her own little bubble, thrilled to be in his presence. Pegasus was actually interested to learn all he could about her; they wouldn't be together for long, and she was entertaining.

"Let's see, you're sixteen? That makes you what, a Junior?"

"Senior, actually, and I'll be 17 in December" she replied, still giggling at inappropriate moments. "I skipped second grade."

"She's brilliant and beautiful." Megan flushed the same color as her dress and began to stammer. Pegasus laughed. He'd never seen his simple charm have such an effect.

"But enough about you, let's talk about me." Megan burst out laughing. "I'm sure there's plenty you'll want to know."

"Oh, I think I know enough," Megan said slyly.

"Do you, now?" Pegasus folded his fingers and looked at her over his hands.

Megan continued to giggle, but got into her stride soon enough. "Yup. I've done my homework. You're Pegasus Crawford, 25 years old. You went to an art college, but dropped out to go and study abroad, and that led to creating Duel Monsters." Some emotion flickered across his face, but Megan failed to notice. "Your birthday is October 8, so you're a Libra, and that makes you elegant, kind, just and extremely attractive," Megan flushed again and turned her head away in a way she thought was coy.

Pegasus chuckled. "You have done your homework. A plus." Megan smiled and turned her attention to her food.

Pegasus smiled also, but he was a little more worried than he had been that morning. She kept smiling and laughing, and glancing at him. It was only an innocent crush, that much he could tell. But it didn't show signs of stopping the way he'd thought it would.

"Well in that case, more about you," Pegasus said after a pause that seemed slightly too long. "Tell me about yourself."

"Oh, I'm nothing special," Megan replied, deliberately not looking at him, and yet still managing to sneak admiring glances at him when she thought he wasn't looking. "17 in a few months, going into Senior year, no clue what to do with myself, Capricorn, single," he laughed, and she smiled yet again. "oh, and I sing. That's all," she concluded pseudo-modestly.

"I thought so," he said without thinking.

"Really?" Megan asked, surprised.

Pegasus mentally kicked himself—he should have been paying more attention. 'now she'll think I'm interested in her the wrong way...'

"Your voice," he said, covering his mistake with the same suave demeanor. "You just sound like a singer."

Megan's accumulated blushes had turned her redder than the sun setting behind her. "Well maybe I'll have to sing for you sometime," she suggested. "I know you're a pianist."

"I think you know a little too much," Pegasus said jokingly. "You'd better be careful."

"If I know too much, you'll have to kill me, huh?" Megan asked.

"Took the words right out of my mouth."

A cough from the room behind them announced Croquet's presence.

"Sir, you have a phone call, it's very important."

Pegasus sighed. "It's those advertising people again, isn't it? I told them not to call...very well," he turned back to Megan. "I'm so sorry about this."

"No, no, it's alright," Megan said, getting up so fast she almost knocked her chair down. "I uh, still have to unpack anyway," she continued, rubbing the back of her neck.

Pegasus had also gotten up, but he froze and stared at her for a moment. "What have you been doing this whole afternoon?" he asked incredulously.

"Getting ready," she said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Then she ran off through the castle to her room. Pegasus looked after her, and laughed.


	4. Exploration

Hello readers! Been a while, ne? ; sorry, I got side-tracked writing chapter 5...but the good news is you get 2 chapters in one night! So please review, I'd love to know how I'm doing

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A large, opulent castle is not a place one can live without exploring. So on the second day of her stay, Megan decided to do just that.

"Okay, go ahead," Pegasus said after she asked permission. He was working amid a huge pile of papers, even so early in the day. Smiling and humming, Megan started to walk off.

"Wait," Pegasus stopped her. He suddenly looked more worried about her exploration. "Come here for a second."

"Gladly!" Megan practically skipped to his side. He got up from his desk and moved to the window.

"Do you see that tall tower?"

Megan took her eyes away from his face and looked out the window. "Yeah. What about it?"

"Don't go in there. Go anywhere else in the castle, but not that tower." Megan looked back at him. There was a far away look in the eye she could see. His left eye was, as always, covered by a curtain of hair. Even in photos, she'd never seen it. For some reason, Megan felt an impulse to pull that curtain back. But before she could, he turned back to her.

"Please, promise me you won't."

"Of course," Megan replied, drawing back her partially outstretched hand. "No worries." She smiled. "It's like the West Wing. I got it."

"West Wing...? Ah! Okay," he understood, and smiled back at her. "So stay away, Belle."

"No worries," Megan said again, walking out of the door. "I'll see you later!" She blew a kiss and left.

She paused just a moment outside the room. "He called me beautiful!" She smiled and giggled, then ran off.

Megan, for all her childlike tendencies, was a methodical person when it was appropriate. So, she decided to start her exploration of the castle from the top floor. The very top rooms overlooking the ocean were bedrooms. Megan's own room was a few floors down, and there were only a few rooms on the entire floor.

One room was obviously Pegasus'. Megan blushed a little, but walked in with little reserve. She didn't touch anything; his room seemed almost sacred. Megan looked around everywhere and walked softly. She couldn't stop herself from giggling.

When she'd finished looking around, Megan started to walk out the door. But she looked out into the hallway and saw no one, and looked back into the room. Suddenly, she had an idea. Megan paused for only a second before jumping headlong onto his bed. She buried her head in his pillow and lay there for a minute. Then reluctantly, she got up, smoothed the covers she'd messed up and left.

Megan didn't want to know what the next room meant. It was right next to Pegasus', but entirely different. The long, thick curtains were drawn, and only a few rays of bright summer sunshine could get through. There was a bed in the room, but all it did was make the room feel small because of its size. Dressers were covered in jewelry, and closets filled with dresses. Nothing looked like it had been used in a long, long time.

Megan looked around cautiously. The room had a feel like a museum or shrine; it felt like she wasn't allowed to touch anything.

_But who could all this be for...? _She wondered.

Starting to get chills from the dark room, Megan left.

At the start of a hallway on the next floor down was a huge tapestry of a rose. Megan ran her fingers across it, feeling the thickness of the cloth and detail in the art. Then she began to poke around the rooms.

The first room was a huge library, not of novels but of music. Books lined the shelves. There was sheet music for practically anything—guitar, piano, with and without vocal accompaniment, percussion, string quartet, anything you could think of. Though, as Megan noticed, there wasn't much Broadway-style music. Come to think of it, there wasn't much piano music, either.

The next room explained that lack. The centerpiece was a grand piano, a beautiful black instrument. Showtunes were lined up on shelves and piled on tables, as well as simply scattered across the floor. Megan clapped her hands in delight to see these, and pulled a few books from the shelf. She sat down and fiddled with the piano for a minute or two, before giving up and just singing A Cappella. This was able to keep her attention for another large chunk of time, and then Megan moved on.

The other rooms in the hallway were likewise musical.

_Pegasus must be more musical than I thought..._

The rooms were filled with different instruments, all kinds and all families. Strings, brass, wind, reed, anything and everything. When Megan had finished exploring the hallway, she went back to the tapestry.

"I'll remember this," she said to herself. "I'll be back here."

The next few floors were for servants. Megan didn't spend too much time here— it didn't interest her as much as the other floors. Below this was the floor her own room was on, which Megan had already seen.

Megan's floor was the last before the courtyards. Megan had had no time outside since she got to the castle. Happily, she walked out through flowerbeds and ponds.

Before long, Megan of course got to the forbidden tower. As we all know, telling someone specifically not to do something makes her want to do it all that much more. So Megan lingered around the tower base for a few moments. It was probably lucky for Pegasus that the guards he'd posted were still employed with him. So many of those guards had left after the tournament a few years ago. But these two had stayed, and it was nothing much more than their presence that kept Megan to her promise, and caused her to continue on her way.


	5. A first kiss in E flat

Yup, like I said. 2 chapters in one day. Just so you know, this will almost completely alienate any readers who aren't musical fans ;;;; sorry, but I really wanted to do this. And I'll probably do it again... hopefully the lyrics are enough.

Extended disclaimer: I don't own Phantom of the Opera, Annie Get Your Gun or Sweeney Todd (though I adore Sweeney, awesome, hysterical, bloody show)

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Megan wandered the halls of the castle on her third day there, bored while Pegasus was busy.

'I want to be with him...'

She began to hum, letting her frustrated feelings escape as a song. There was no specific tune.

She went up one of the many marble stairways, and found herself in front of a familiar tapestry. She'd made a point to remember this hallway when she'd been exploring.

'There's a piano in one of these rooms,' she remembered. 'I can go play it.'

Before she could begin to wonder which room she wanted, though, she heard strains of music drifting through the hall. Walking softly, she went to investigate

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Pegasus was sick of the day's long meetings, and he'd been able to get out early. Well, get out would imply that he was allowed to leave. He had left the room supposedly for a few minutes, and escaped to the other side of the castle. He sighed in relief when he knew he was safe.

He walked slowly through his home and came to the same hallway a few minutes before Megan. Walking into one of the rooms and closing the door so as not to announce his position to the executives who would be searching for him, he sat at the piano and leafed through the volumes of sheet music sitting next to him.

His eyes fell on a book of selections from Phantom of the Opera. More than one song in this book was special to him.

He opened the book and began to play.

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Megan stood outside the door listening. She placed the melancholy melody with ease; Phantom was one of her favorite shows, as well. The song in particular, however, was not a favorite.

'Why's he playing something so sad?' The song was "Wishing you were Somehow Here Again," and she didn't like it. There was a beauty to the soft, slow melody, but the lyrics were about mourning and death.

Even though Megan didn't like the song, she knew it well enough to jump in from the hallway on the second verse.

"_Passing bells and sculpted angels_

_cold and monumental_

_seem for you the wrong companions_

_you were warm and gentle..." _She sang very softly, but before long the piano swelled and she was carried away by the music. She opened the door the tiniest crack, so small that she couldn't even see who was playing. But it was wide enough for her voice to float into the room, even over the piano

"_Too many years fighting back tears,_

_why can't the past just die?_

_Wishing you were somehow here again_

_Knowing we must say goodbye_

_Try to forgive, teach me to live_

_Give me the strength to try!_

_No more memories, no more silent tears, _

_No more- _oh, hello," she stopped a bit after the music did—Pegasus had heard her singing and got up to open the door. "Don't stop now, it's almost over!"

Pegasus stared at her incredulously for just a moment. Then he started laughing.

"What? What is it?" Megan asked. "You're not laughing at _me,_ are you?" she started to pout.

"No, no, it's not that," Pegasus coughed and calmed himself down. "You simply broke the mood so perfectly. Come in, if you want," he held the door and motioned for her to walk inside before him.

"Gladly!" Megan smiled and went over to the pile of music. She started looking through it while Pegasus finished playing the piece. "That was wonderful," she said as he finished, clapping.

"Well so were you," he answered with a coy smile. Megan flushed and turned her face back to the music. "It's been a long time since I've heard that sung to my accompaniment."

"Why do you have so much stuff here for a soprano?" she asked, mostly to change the subject but also because she was curious.

Pegasus didn't answer right away. Almost all of the music in the room had been Cecilia's, when she was alive. They would sit for hours, him playing, her singing. When he had the castle built, he put her piano and music in this room. He often came back to play her favorite songs when he felt lonely.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Megan said quickly, after a pause. "If it's too...I mean, if you don't want to...I shouldn't have asked..."

"My...my wife used to sing these songs," he said quietly. "She...passed away." Even after all this time, it still hurt to think about her death.

"Oh! Oh gosh, I'm sorry! I didn't know."

"It's okay, I...I usually don't tell people."

_Is that what that room was about?_ Megan suddenly remembered the museum-like room full of someone's memories.

There was another awkward pause, then he sighed. "I'm the one who should be sorry, I'm not a very good host, now am I?" he forced a smile.   
"No! I mean, yes....i mean no, you are...yes, you...aren't....what?"

That and the confused look on Megan's face shook Pegasus out of his musings. He laughed again.

"Well go ahead, we have all the time in the world, pick a song."

Megan turned back to the music. "It's all so sad." She shuffled through the music again, and this time found "Annie Get Your Gun."

"Oooh, this is fun!" She showed him the book, and he opened to one of the songs.

_"Anything you can do, I can do better_

_I can do anything better than you!" _

Pegasus jumped in, his singing voice shaky from years of disuse, but still good enough to play against Megan's.

_"No you can't"_

_"Yes I can" _

_"No you can't"_

_"Yes I can"_

_"No you can't"_

_"Yes I can, yes I can! _

_Anything you can be, I can be greater_

_Sooner or later I'm greater than you"_

And so on. The song went back and forth for quite a while, and when it ended, Megan smiled broadly.

"I didn't know you sang!"

"I don't really," Pegasus said shrugging. "You just needed a second voice."

"Well sing again!" Megan insisted, shoving more music onto the piano.

They sang together for a long time. Pegasus, having almost memorized the music already, found his mind wandering. In his mind, he was years younger and playing for another girl. She kept having to flip her long, blonde hair behind her; it kept getting into her mouth and stopping her voice. That voice was thin and high, and sweet. Her voice was like cotton candy.

With the next piece of music shoved under his nose, Pegasus brought his attention back to the girl in front of him. Her voice was lower than Cecilia's, but her long, black hair got in the way just the same. Megan's voice was thick, but almost just as high. It was much more rich, but just as sweet. Megan's voice was more like key lime pie.

Then, finally, Pegasus' attention was brought forcefully back to earth. The song was from Sweeney Todd, and it was just ending.

Megan sang enveloped in a happy aura, the kind of delight that could take you over and make you abandon all reason.

_"Sir I did love you even as I saw you_

_even as it did not matter that I _

_did not know your name..."_

_"It's me you'll marry on Monday, _

_That's what you'll do"_

_"And gladly sir, _

_I knew I'd be with you one day_

_Even not knowing who you were_

_I feared you'd gone away_

_That you'd been called away,_

_That you'd been killed, had the plague, were in Debtor's jail_

_Trampled by a horse, gone to sea again, arrested by the—_

_Kiss me!" _

_"Of course"_

_"Quickly!"_

_"You're sure?"_

_"Kiss me!"_

_"I shall"_

_"Kiss me, oh sir..." _

And Megan, lost in her own emotions, did exactly what the song said. She leaned over and kissed Pegasus.

The music stopped abruptly, as did Megan's happy glow. There was yet another long, awkward pause.

"Oh...oh geez....I-I couldn't help...I'm sorry!" Megan stood quickly and ran out of the room. Pegasus looked after her for a moment, then sighed and put the music away.

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Megan didn't stop running until she reached her room. She slammed the door behind her and fell to the floor. She buried her face in her knees.

"....God, I'm such an IDIOT!"


	6. I'm Worried about her

Hey again, semi-loyal fans. I just realized that some bits in chapter 4 were confusing to some people. The reference was supposed to be to Beauty and the Beast, with the West Wing being the place Belle wasn't supposed to go (but went anyway). That's why Pegasus called Megan "Belle", which means "Beautiful" in French, so that's where Megan's happy little comment came from. Thought I should clear that up. Enjoy the next chapter!

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Megan didn't come out of her room for the rest of the night. Dinner was sent to her room; she was too embarrassed to join Pegasus to eat.

Even though it had only been a few days, Pegasus found to his surprise that he missed talking to Megan over dinner. No, he corrected himself, he missed talking over dinner. Megan really had nothing to do with it, she was just someone to talk to…right?

Pegasus brought a book to the table, the way he used to when he ate alone. He sighed several times during that meal.

0-0-0-0-0

Megan still didn't come out the next day. Pegasus started to worry a little-- what if he'd done something to upset her? But he made sure she was getting food sent, and spend the next afternoon the way he used to.

It had only been 4 days, but going back to the old routine wasn't easy. Pegasus found that he was very bored without Megan around. It was a business-free day for him, and he spent a good deal of it simply wandering around, still getting lost in his own home after all these years. He passed Megan's door more than once, and resisted the urge to knock and make her talk to him.

Ever a believer in old traditions, Pegasus sat down for an afternoon tea around three. Croquet served him, and easily noticed something wrong.

"What's the matter, sir?"

Pegasus chuckled. "I never could hide anything from you, my old friend."

"Never. Not when you were six and had chocolate all over your face—"

"I told you never to bring that up!" Pegasus said, but he laughed.

"—and not now," Croquet finished with a fond smile. "So what's the matter?"

Pegasus sighed, picked up his cup of tea and took a long sip. "I'm worried about her."

"Megan?"

"Any other 'her' at the castle that I should know about?" Pegasus asked in reply. "She hasn't come out since yesterday, I can't help worrying."

"What happened yesterday, sir?"

Pegasus coughed and turned his face to his cup, as if looking for an answer there. But he'd never kept anything back from his caretaker, and finally spit it out. "She kissed me."

"She's embarrassed now?"

"How should I know?" Pegasus asked, with a hint of a snap in his voice. "She's the one who practically tackled me when she got here. And what's so funny?" he added, seeing Croquet hide a smile behind his hand.

"Nothing sir," he said hurriedly. "It's…she's a good kid."

"Yes…but misguided." Pegasus agreed. He sighed. "I thought she'd be over this by now."

"Over what?"

"This…crush of hers. She doesn't really _love_ me, I thought she'd know that by now."

Croquet was silent for a moment.

"What?" Pegasus asked, slightly annoyed.

"Sir…what if she really is?"

"What are you—you think she—" Pegasus sputtered, accidentally spitting tea across the tabletop.

"If she doesn't love you, I don't think she would have kissed you, sir."

"She _can't_ love me," Pegasus said, then paused. Some part of his mind saw the truth in what Croquet was saying. _'What if she does? I don't love her, she'll be crushed.' _

"Why not, sir?"

"You're really not giving up on this, are you?" Pegasus asked. "Usually you'd drop the subject by now."

"Now you're just stalling," Croquet replied with another fond smile. "Think about it, sir, please." He put a hand on Pegasus' shoulder. "Just think about it." Croquet left the room.

Pegasus concentrated on his tea, and reluctantly followed his mentor's advice.

_'I guess she thinks she really does love me…but she can't for real. If it were real, I'd love her back.' _There was a pause in his thoughts that he didn't want to explore. He forced a questioning voice into the back of his mind. _'I don't love her. I love Cecilia.'_

He got up and walked to one of many portraits of her hung all around the castle. Here, she sat in a field of flowers, gathering several in her arms and laughing. Pegasus resisted the urge to trace her form, not wanting to smudge the paint. He didn't want to disrupt any memory of her. He'd already lost her once.

This painting in particular was bittersweet. That was the last painting he'd done before the news. The horrible, earth-shattering news that she was sick. Cancer…that hateful word. Pegasus looked at her painting for a long time. She was so happy. It was just the next day that the light had left her eyes.

The familiar heartache set in, thinking about her death. It had softened over time, now that he'd given up hope of her return. He reached into a pocket and drew out a thin gold ring. Cecilia had been buried with an identical one. Their wedding rings.

He slipped the ring onto his finger. It still fit, but not as perfectly as it once had. He'd taken it off after she died, promising himself that once he had her back they'd be married again, for real. The ceremony in the hospital didn't really count as a wedding. In his mind, he'd promised her flowers, jewels, friends and family, the most beautiful dress in the world, and all she'd gotten was a thin gold ring.

Pegasus wiped away a tear threatening to escape from his good eye. It wasn't over, it didn't feel over. He'd never really said good-bye. He still loved her. There was no way these feelings could ever transfer to someone else.

_'If Megan truly loved me, I'd love her. She'll get over it, sooner or later.' _

0-0-0-0-0

The previous night, Megan had sulked by herself until she fell asleep. When she woke that morning, breakfast was already cold at her door, and Megan was glad that she didn't have to leave her room yet.

She replayed last night's scene in her head over and over.

_'Why do I have to be such a moron?'_ She hid her face even from herself, burying it in books and blankets and avoiding any kind of real work.

But even as she kicked herself for doing it, she was immensely happy that she had kissed him.

She smiled and flushed. _'My first kiss…I was saving it for him. Even if I don't even see him again before I leave, I got my kiss.' _

Eventually though, the boredom of being alone in her room took over. Megan restlessly moved around her room, ending up right in front of the door. Several pairs of footsteps passed her door, all different. Some hurried, some calm. A maid maybe, stopping every few feet to clean something. And one pair that seemed to keep coming back, stopping right in front of her before leaving again.

Almost bored out of her mind by lunchtime, Megan took out her cell phone and called Stephanie.

"Hey Megan! How are you? What's happened?" Stephanie's voice came clearly over the phone, and Megan smiled to hear her friend.

"A lot happened…" Megan launched into a long, thorough explanation of everything that had happened between herself and Pegasus since she'd arrived at the castle.

"You WHAT!?" Megan had to move the phone away from her ear as Stephanie yelled. "You KISSED him!? Megan, honey, why?"

"I…I don't really know…but I liked it."

Stephanie sighed. "I don't know what to do with you, Megan."

"Look, I know it was stupid."

"Yeah, it really was. You know it's not gonna work out, right dear?"

"…Yeah….i know." Megan forced herself to admit it. "But I'll only be here for another few days. I just…I just wish it wasn't so awkward now."

"So what happened today, then? You said this was last night."

"Nothing happened today…I, uh, I haven't left my room yet." Megan smiled a little too widely to be believed, and rubbed the back of her neck.

"Megan, you have to talk to him. Don't do this to yourself, at least enjoy your vacation, okay?" Stephanie pleaded.

"Okay Steph," Megan agreed. "I'll see you Monday." They both hung up.

0-0-0-0-0

It was very late in the afternoon when Megan finally left her room. She stalled for as long as she could in the hall, but that didn't turn out to be too long. Pegasus walked by for the 7th or 8th time that day, and stopped just after the turn to Megan's hallway.

"Oh, you're out of your room."

"Yeah, I am," Megan said, looking at her shoes. They were nice shoes. New, white sneakers. She'd bought them just for the trip.

"Walk with me." He started to offer her his arm, but thought better of the idea. "I wanted to talk to you."

Megan hesitated, smiled and grabbed his arm anyway. "Sure. Me too."

Pegasus couldn't bring himself to push her arm away.

They walked for a while in silence, ending up outside in the courtyard.

"It's so beautiful out here, I wish I didn't have to leave," Megan said.

"Well, not all wishes should be granted," Pegasus said softly.

Megan blushed and let go of his arm. She didn't meet Pegasus' eyes as she spoke. "Look, I…well, I mean…I'm sorry about last night," Megan finished almost inaudibly.

"Don't worry," he said, putting a rather awkward hand on her shoulder. She put her own hand on top of his. "Chalk it up to heat of the moment?"

She smiled. "Sure. So…it's not gonna get weird or anything, right?"

He laughed. "Only a few more days, anyway. Water under the bridge." He gave her shoulder a tiny squeeze and removed his hand. "Join me for dinner? I missed you last night."

"Just a minute," she answered. Pegasus left and she sat on the low brick wall of a flower display.

_'I held his hand…' _She thought happily. _'I kissed him and I held his hand.'_ Giving her shoulder the same little squeeze, Megan stood up smiling and practically skipped off to dinner.


	7. Relevations in the West Wing

heya everyone. I found another thing i forgot to clarify-- Pegasus' was the only Japanese name i decided to use in this fic because i love his name, and wanted Megan to be able to call him "Pegasus" without it being his last name. so there you go.

0-0-0-0-0

With only one day left before Megan had to leave, Pegasus remained worried. The two drifted in and out of each other's days, only meeting to eat and by chance in the vast expanse of the castle. At each greeting from Megan, Pegasus became more and more upset at the thought of letting her leave without setting things straight.

"Pegasus!" She'd yell, with a beaming smile. She would run up and grab his arm, walking with him as long as she could. Once she even kissed him quickly on the cheek before letting him go.

Pegasus sat in his meetings the way a bored student sits in class. He rested his chin on one hand, looking out the window and constantly needing to have information repeated from when he wasn't listening. He couldn't stop wondering what to do.

He could always just let her leave and never see her again. But for some reason, that didn't seem like the right choice. Even after what had happened last night, she didn't seem to get what was going on between them. He had meant to make her feel better while still telling her he wasn't interested. Instead, it had only helped to encourage her. Letting Megan leave with this still hanging over his head did not seem like a good idea.

The other option, then, was to tell her everything. Well, maybe not _everything_, he thought as he left one boring meeting for another that seemed exactly the same. Megan met him in the hallway and walked with him to his next destination, chattering happily. He smiled at her but his heart wasn't in it.

He kept thinking all through the day, cementing the decision in his mind. Obviously, he couldn't tell her everything about his past. There were always some things better left unsaid, better left in the past and locked away. Everything that had happened since Cecilia died was better locked away. But Megan deserved to know about her life, if nothing else. He didn't want to hurt Megan's feelings, but if there was no other way….Pegasus needed her to know. At least this way, she would go home knowing the whole story. And most importantly, she would leave without an unfounded hope that they would meet again. If there was anything he had learned from his life, it was that false hope was worse than no hope at all.

0-0-0-0-0

Megan woke up feeling less than well on her last day. The minute she woke, she rolled over and went back to sleep. Her head throbbed, and the blankets covering her were far too warm. Eventually, she forced herself to get up and meet Pegasus for breakfast.

Not wanting to worry him, Megan acted just as happy and bouncy as she had the rest of the week. She ran up to Pegasus every time she saw him and hooked her arm around his. But when she was alone, Megan had to sit and rest with her hand to her head. The entire day passed in a blur for her, she spent so much time napping.

Whatever illness she had seemed to be getting better by dinnertime. She chattered away as she always did, smiling brightly and trying to get him to talk more. Pegasus seemed more deeply in thought than usual, and only smiled as though his mind were somewhere far away. Once the meal was over, Megan got up and started to the door. She paused.

"Hey, since it's my last day and all…I mean…will you come with me? I wanted to take a walk."

Pegasus also hesitated just a little. "Sure. I wanted to talk to you anyway."

Megan smiled brightly and once more grabbed his arm. She didn't notice Pegasus' slightly tense, sad look as she did.

0-0-0-0-0

They walked together for a long time in relative silence. Megan's symptoms started to return slowly, and her river of talk slowed to a trickle. Pegasus led her around the courtyards and back around, finally stopping in front of his tower.

Megan was already a little drowsy and disoriented by the time they stopped. "What's up?" she asked, then looked up at the tower before her. "The West Wing. What about it?" She turned to Pegasus, who was still looking up with an unusually grave expression on his face.

Finally, he answered. "Come up with me. There…there's something you have to understand."

Megan followed him curiously up the stairs, half lost in the excitement of going into the forbidden room.

The light streaming in through the window from the slowly setting sun made the lights unnecessary. Megan was surprised at how small the room was, and how cluttered. There were several small tables set up with books piled on top of them. There was paper and pen on one, next to several unsent letters. But the first thing Megan noticed was the enormous painting filling one wall, surrounded by heavy velvet curtains. She walked slowly up to the painting.

"Her name was Cecilia," Pegasus said, walking up beside her. "She died 8 years ago, when I was 17."

Megan looked up at him. "Was she…?"

"Yes, we were married only about a month before she passed on."

"At 17?"

"Our parents wanted us to wait until we were legally adults, but she didn't have enough time. She had cancer, they didn't think she'd live another year. What she wanted more than anything else was to be married to me before her death." Pegasus allowed his long hair to shield his face and spoke with little emotion. It hurt too much to let those feelings free. "And more than anything, I wanted her to be mine."

Megan's head began to throb again. So many thoughts swirled around in her head.

_He married her when he was only a little older than me…wanted to be with her…wants to be with her…what about me? _

Pegasus continued his story, unable to see Megan's reaction through his hair, and unwilling to look in any case. "For a long time, I tried to get her back. I…well, let's just say my plans fell through."

Even with all this new, unsettling information, Megan's curiosity won out. "Is that why…I mean, your eye…"

He nodded. "I lost it in the process. The details aren't important."

Megan's head swam. _8 years…he must have loved her so much…I love him…he loves her so much…_

"I didn't want to hurt your feelings, but you had to know," Pegasus said, still deliberately not looking at her.

_I love him so much…_

"I didn't want you to go away not knowing. I…I know you think you love me—"

_He loves her…I love him…I do love him…_

"—but it wasn't going to work. I…I didn't want you to think it would."

_He doesn't love me…I love him…but he can't love me_

Megan fell to her knees, suddenly feeling too warm again. Her heart seemed to beat against her forehead and her legs wouldn't support her weight.

"Megan?" Pegasus finally looked around to see her on the floor. "Megan, are you going to be okay?" He knelt next to her and held her up where she'd been about to fall again.

Megan was only dimly aware of anything else, but the feeling of his hand supporting her back was clear as day.

Pegasus put his free hand on her head. "You're sick! Why didn't you tell me? You shouldn't be out here if you're like this!" His heart raced: he'd been through something just like this before…

0-0-0-0-0

_It was a warm summer night, and they had spent the day together. The sun was high in the air and just beginning to fall when it happened. _

_They were walking along a path in the park when she fell down. _

_"Cecilia! What's wrong?" _

_She was shaking, and he bent down to help her up. She had to lean against him and didn't say anything. When he felt her head, his heartbeat sped up. _

_"You're sick! Why didn't you tell me, we could have stayed at home and gotten you help!" _

_"I didn't want you to worry about me…" she mumbled into his jacket. _

_He sighed. "I wish you'd told me. Now come on, let's get you home." _

_"Are you mad?" _

_"No, but I am worried." He kissed the top of her head. "I love you." _

0-0-0-0-0

"I…I didn't want to make you worry…" Megan said softly. His face went in and out of focus in front of her eyes. "Are you mad at me now?"

"No…" Pegasus jerked out of his reminiscence and helped her to her feet. "Can you walk?"

"Yeah, I'm okay," Megan insisted, and shuffled to the door and down the stairs with his help.

"…Here," Pegasus said at last, "Let me help." He adjusted his hold on her shoulder and reached down to pick up her legs. "You're light," he said with a smile.

Megan smiled back at him dimly and rested her head on his chest. Her smile remained, but her eyes were sad.

_I love you, Pegasus…don't do this if you don't care…_

She fell asleep in his arms on the way to her room.


	8. Sleeping Beauty

When Megan woke up, her eyes remained closed. She was in her own bed at the castle, that much she could figure out right away. But knowing Pegasus the way she had come to, he was bound to be somewhere nearby. And after what had happened earlier that night, Megan didn't want to see him.

She woke up little by little, and could hear Croquet talking to someone.

"…She'll be fine, but we really don't think she should be travelling so soon…We don't want to take any chances…it's just a bad cold, but as I've explained sir, we don't think…..Well when can you be home, then? We can't send her home to no one there…That long? Hold on. Sir," he must have turned to look in her direction, since she could hear him more easily now. "Her father will be going off on business tomorrow evening, he can't take her back until next week."

There was a pause. "She'll stay here." Megan's heart began pounding-- he was right next to her. His voice, soft as it was (so as not to wake her), flowed through her ears and into her heart and soul.

Croquet turned back to the telephone. "We'll keep her here until you get back…no trouble, it's really nothing…We'll see you then." A click, the phone hung up. "Are you sure you want her to stay, sir?"

"Yes, I'm quite sure." But he wouldn't say anything more. The door opened and closed, and Pegasus' breathing was steady next to hers.

Self-conscious and quiet, which was new for her, Megan slowly fell back asleep.

0-0-0-0-0

Pegasus sat by her bed the entire night. She didn't wake up (to his knowledge) until the morning, but he waited all night to make sure she wouldn't be alone if she woke.

So many thoughts ran through his mind, recurring the entire night. He never realized how much things could change in a single night.

Back when he'd confessed love to Cecilia so long ago, they had known each other for years. They'd grown up as friends first, and then become lovers. It had only been natural to both of them. Their love was on a strong base of friendship and caring.

But now…Megan was so different from Cecilia. He'd only known her for a week. What did he think he was doing, feeling like this?

But the fact remained that he had been terrified of losing her when she'd fallen ill.

When had he started to care so much about her? Because he had to admit to himself that he did care. Somehow, over the course of the last week, she had become someone very special to him. She was very unlike Cecilia, yet he cared about her the same way. Megan was almost the opposite of the last girl he had loved. But…he had to admit it.

"I love her…" he murmured, almost inaudibly.

There was nothing he could do. He could inwardly berate himself as long as he wanted, but it wouldn't change the facts. There was a voice in the back of his mind that wouldn't stop chiding him.

_How can you say that? You love Cecilia. You promised her not to love anyone else. She's only 16, it won't work. It would never work. She's too young. She wouldn't love you…_

But Pegasus had been through enough in his life that he'd yelled at himself for. He'd learned how to shut that voice out. But it told the truth. It always had. He couldn't love her, for more reasons than he wanted to think about.

She was a child. Only a child. He was 9 years older than she was. How many parents would stand back and allow their daughter to be with an older man? How would he explain himself? It just wasn't…appropriate.

And it was very true, he had promised with marriage to never love anyone but Cecilia. And he did love her. Even still, 8 years after her death. Cecilia still occupied that place in his heart, and he did not want her to leave.

How could he love Megan, too? He could not justify his feelings to himself, let alone try to explain them to anyone else. But for now, It was enough for him that she was going to recover from her illness. There wasn't another explanation-- this feeling of relief and happiness that she would be alright could only be love.

Megan had turned over in her blankets enough for one small, tanned hand to poke out from under them. Pegasus smiled fondly, reached out and grabbed it.

Megan's hand instinctively squeezed back, and a small smile spread itself across her sleeping face.

0-0-0-0-0

hey everyone, short chapter, i know. This chapter marks the end of the first act, so to speak. From the beginning, i've had this planned out like it was a manga. So this is the end of the first volume. I've designed my act-enders to work with a few extra stories i wanted to write. So the next chapter will be an extra. It's one of those things that fits into continuity, but a bit after the current action. But well, you'll see later. come back soon!


	9. EXTRA Fun in the Sun

Extra: Fun in the Sun

"Come on Pegasus!" Megan ran far ahead of him, moving quickly and never letting her bare feet touch the sun-warmed sand for more than a second.

He followed behind her, wearing sandals to avoid the scalding sand and taking his time. It had, after all, been entirely her idea that they spend the day at the beach. Yet somehow, he was still stuck carrying a picnic basket full of food, tall beach umbrella any whatever other things Megan had thought to stick into the basket.

Megan couldn't stay still for very long on the sand, and ran into the waves. The ocean spray flew around her, sparkling in the sunlight and surrounding her in a glittering frame. She was showing herself off in a not-so-modest bikini in deep red, and her long raven hair tangled itself up in the breeze.

Pegasus blushed a little to see her, being so modest in his own nature. His swimsuit was big and baggy, leaving everything to the imagination. His hair had been tied back, and an eyepatch of the same silvery-purple color concealed his left socket.

"What are you doing?" Megan asked, running back out of the waves and hopping from foot to foot on the sand. "Come on!"

Pegasus barely had time to drop the supplies before Megan grabbed his hand and pulled him into the water. His hair flew behind him and he tripped from her force.

Both Pegasus and Megan fell, laughing, into the water. Megan surfaced instantly, but Pegasus took quite a bit longer. When he finally came up, he did so coughing and sputtering behind her.

"Pegasus?" Megan turned around to see him standing there, silver head completely draped in seaweed.

There was a long pause, and then Megan burst out laughing. She doubled over and giggled incessantly, only stopping to look back at him and start a fresh wave of laughter.

Pegasus blushed, but laughed too. He pulled off most of the flora, but more than a few strands were still tangled with silver.

"Here, let me help," Megan said, curbing her giggles and walking slowly to him through the water. She reached up and pulled the rest of the plant off his head. She kissed him softly, tasting the salt on both their lips.

The rest of the day passed less eventfully. The food Megan had insisted on bringing was delicious, and the two of them spent the entire day together in the sand and surf. They didn't even think of leaving until they sat together on the sand, lightly dusted with it as the sun slipped beyond the waves.


	10. Daydreaming

Megan woke up the next morning still sick, but better. Pegasus had left the room, and she was glad. She sat up and stretched her arms out.

_Daddy went to Boston today…when was he getting back…right, I'm still here until Saturday. _

Megan sighed. It was Monday again, her second one at the castle.

_He doesn't love me…what am I still doing here? _She let her mind wander back to the night before. _He loved someone else…he still does. I don't have a chance in the world…_ She lay back down and rolled over, going back to sleep

0-0-0-0-0

Megan woke later, feeling much better, to a knock on her door.

"Megan? Are you awake now?"

She blushed a little bit to hear his voice. "I am now."

"Oh, sorry…" he opened the door and poked his head in. "Did I wake you?"

"Yeah, but it's okay." She looked away from him.

"What's wrong?" he walked over to her.

"Nothing," she said too quickly. She didn't want him to be near her anymore. He froze in his tracks, taken aback by her manner.

"It's almost lunchtime, did you want to eat with me? If you're feeling better, I mean."

It only took Megan a second to think. He didn't love her, but he still cared. There was only a week left, she could forget about his wife for that long.  
"I am, she answered, and got up, taking his arm and leaving for the table.

0-0-0-0-0

Monday being a work day, there were not together as much as they may have each liked to be. They met in the hallway and during gaps in Pegasus' schedule, walking together through the long hallways.

Megan's happy chatter broke long silences on the walks. It was just the same as ever, constant and flowing swiftly from topic to topic.

The only time she stopped was when she tripped on a rug sticking up on the floor.

She cried out too loudly for the incident, as if she were seriously hurt. Pegasus instinctively reached out to stop her fall, grabbing her arm and pulling her back up. She was jerked onto her feet and backward into his arms.

Her own arms had wrapped around his in trying to keep her balance, and she didn't let them go even when she regained her balance. Pegasus was no more eager to let her go.

She turned around and their eyes met for a brief moment, before they both let go and turned away, blushing.

"Shall we go on?" Pegasus asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yeah…" still embarrassed, Megan hooked her arm around his again simply out of habit.

0-0-0-0-0

Pegasus once again found himself unable to pay attention in the day's boring meetings. He had no idea what he might have agreed to that day, but it didn't really bother him. If he denied agreeing, they all knew he was eccentric enough not to contradict him.

Megan kept up a good front, but he could tell that she wasn't the same. Her happy talks were forced, and there were periods of time when she couldn't keep it up, and walked quietly with him.

Had she been that hurt by what had happened? Maybe—his heart stirred to think of it—maybe that meant she felt the same way. She'd been so upset she almost fainted at the idea of his wife. Did she think he still loved Cecilia?

If she did, she wasn't wrong, per se. Pegasus sighed, drawing the attention of the young executive next to him. This was the one kink in his perfect view of his life.

He had always been a romantic, and thought everything through in the best scenario.

_He held a contest, sending his new angel an invitation to the kingdom. She had come to fall in love with him, and he with her. They had a fateful reprieve before she had to leave. By the end of the week, they would make their feelings known to each other and live happily at the Kingdom. _

Of course, a more sensible side of him continued to insist that this was not possible. She was only 16, she'd have to go back to school in the fall. High school, for god's sake. And he did still love Cecilia. When he married her, he made a promise to love her forever, and never chose another over her.

But people re-marry, he argued with himself. Wouldn't she want me to be happy?

0-0-0-0-0

Pegasus found Megan again in the music hallway, fiddling with a guitar and managing to get only tuneless, clashing notes.

"Do you want me to show you how to work that?" he asked, standing at the doorway and lazily leaning his arm against it.

"Sure," she answered, and held it out, expecting him to take it from her hands. Instead, he sat down beside her on the couch and placed his hand over hers, positioning it to play the right chords. She blushed and stammered slightly, but allowed him to teach her.

Pegasus smiled with the same light flush on his cheeks as she had, guiding her fingers and beginning to sing softly, an old folk ballad of love.

Megan knew the song and blushed a deeper red, raising her voice in harmony with his. The notes hung thickly in the air, combining and complimenting each other.

Years later, Megan would not remember what song they sang, or what time it had been, but she'd remember the feel of his hand leading hers, and their two voices blending into one.


	11. Black hair on pink roses

hey again. response time to David- that wasn't a typo. read it again. The night of the kiss and the day after, she holed out in her room. it was the night of the day after they talked.

0-0-0-0-0

Tuesday passed mostly the same as Monday did. Another work day, more chance meetings in the hall.

Megan was much more comfortable in the castle by now, and spent most of her free time in the music rooms. All the time Pegasus was working, she sang and fiddled with the piano. But she made sure to keep her eyes on the clock, and ran out to meet him in the halls.

One such time, she hadn't had time to put all her music away. Rather than fling it all onto the floor and lose her place in the books, she simply ran out the room with them filling her arms.

It was nearly noon and time for lunch, so Pegasus had come looking for her. Knowing her by now as well as he did, the first place he looked was the music hall. Of course, Megan didn't know he was there.

She came running out of the room, arms filled with music, not looking where she was going, and ran smack into him, scattering the music all across the floor and knocking both of them down.

"AH! Oh no, I'm sorry, I meant to keep them organized, oh, they're everywhere! I'm sorry, are you okay?" Megan began to scramble around the floor, picking up books and apologizing endlessly.

Pegasus laughed. "I'm just fine. Here, let me help," he picked up some of the books nearest him. With both of them picking up the same things, of course his hand landed on top of hers. She blushed and quickly pulled away, and he did the same more slowly, with an inaudible sigh.

The books picked up, Megan put them away in the piano room and they went off together, more self-conscious than usual, to lunch.

0-0-0-0-0

Megan spent a lot of her day thinking. She'd been spending as much time with Pegasus as she could over the last week. Her feelings had definitely changed about him.

She really loved him, now.

When she had come to Duelist Kingdom, she'd been his fan. She'd wanted to meet him, sure. She'd wanted to be with him. But she was just a fan. She didn't know anything about him, not really. But now…

She still wanted to be with him. She wanted to be someone special to him. But now it was different. Before, she'd had a crush on him. Now, she loved him.

Even if he'd never be able to love her, she loved him.

He was acting normally, and so was she, but something had definitely changed the night he brought her up to the tower. He still loved his former wife. She could tell. All of a sudden, it all made sense. He'd acted so sweet, but he was only being polite to his guest. Now she understood all those paintings around the castle. All the portraits of the same girl. Now she understood that room next to his, full of her presence.

He still loved Cecilia. But she still loved him.

0-0-0-0-0

Later that night, when all the work was done with, Pegasus took Megan outside to talk.

"What's up?" She asked, sitting on a bench surrounded by flowers. He made a mental note to remember that picture, and paint it later.

Pegasus hesitated for a moment, having forgotten to pick his words in advance.

_'Why are you so nervous? She's obviously crazy about you. Just tell her. Tell her how you feel!' _

Of course, one cannot just bring up a subject like that without segue.

"Megan, are you happy here?" He sat down next to her.

"Yeah, why?"

"It's just…you've been quiet lately." He smiled "It's not like you."

She giggled a little and turned her head away. "Guess so…"

"I didn't…I didn't hurt your feelings, did I? When, I mean—"

"In the West Wing?" Megan bit her lip, but smiled a little. "It's okay."

"Are you sure?" He reached his hand out and replaced a strand of her long black hair behind her ear.

She drew back just a little. "Really, I'm fine." Megan bit down harder on her lip, and decided what to add. She turned her head away again, and he moved his hand away. "I…I don't like you the way I did then."

Not a lie, not technically. But now he wouldn't have to worry about her falling in love with him. Now he could be happy with his memories.

"…Oh." Pegasus also turned his head. "Just making sure you were alright." He could almost hear his heart breaking in his chest. He got up off the bench and started to leave. "I'll see you a bit later, I…have some painting to do." Megan didn't answer, and he left.

Megan put her head in her hands, dropping the fake smile.

_'It's true…I don't like him the way I did. I really love him.' _

0-0-0-0-0

Pegasus closed his door quietly and opened the window to his studio—he hadn't painted in so long that it was full of dust. As soon as everything was cleaned up and ready, he began to paint the picture that wouldn't leave his mind.

First an outline.

_'So I was right the first time, wasn't I?'_

She was so young. It must have been one of her first crushes. No wonder it had lasted so long.

He picked out all the colors he needed.

She didn't really love him. She must have only realized it when she saw how much he loved Cecilia. Only now, it was Megan he loved.

Dark blue and black made a twilight sky.

Cecilia would always have a place in his heart. As long as he lived, he would love her. But she also would have wanted him to love again. She wouldn't have wanted to see what he'd become, only thinking of her. He knew this, and yet was still afraid of it.

Black hair on pink roses.

Could he really let go so easily? Yes, because he wasn't really letting go. He was simply making room. Cecilia would never leave his heart, but Megan had her own special place, too.

Color filled the canvas, and he stepped back when it was finally done. Why hadn't he ever noticed before how beautiful she was? Megan brought back feelings that he hadn't felt in years.

"I thought I'd never feel this way again…" he whispered to himself.

But again, his love was in vain. After she had died, his love for Cecilia had been useless and futile. Now he'd fallen for a girl who he couldn't be with, and who didn't love him.

"You have fabulous taste in women, Pegasus," he said to himself. Leaving the finished painting on the easel, He left the room.


	12. I'm not that girl

hey you guys, sorry for the wait. it took a while to figure out what i was gonna do with this chapter. Next one is more plot-full, this is just a filler songfic. The song is "I'm not that girl" from Wicked, and i don't own it.

0-0-0-0-0

"Megan…honey it's okay…it's better this way, you're right…" Stephanie tried desperately to console a sobbing Megan Wednesday afternoon.

"I feel like such an idiot…" Megan was curled up on her bed hugging a pillow. "I'm an idiot. Why am I such an idiot?"

"You're not an idiot. Honey, it was the best thing you could have done. Trust me, it'll be better like this."

"Steph, I can't come home until Saturday. What am I going to do until then?"

"You'll just have to wait it out. Look, I have to go. I'll see you on Saturday."

"Okay…thanks Steph."

"It's nothing" They hung up.

Megan was sulking in her room again. She was too scared to talk to him.

_'Why did I have to pretend I didn't love him…what happens if he finds out? What would he think of me?'_

It was almost an hour of sitting alone in her room with thoughts like these before she finally left the room for the music hall. She picked through the volumes of songs, finally finding a more recent score than many of the others. She took it to the piano and was able to pick out enough of an instrumental to accompany herself.

"_Hands touch, eyes meet  
Sudden silence, sudden heat  
Hearts leap in a giddy whirl  
He could be that boy  
But I'm not that girl" _

It wouldn't matter how she felt, anyway. He was obviously still in love with Cecilia. He'd never really be hers.

"_Don't dream too far  
Don't lose sight of who you are  
Don't remember that rush of joy  
He could be that boy  
I'm not that girl"_

There was no point in worrying anymore. She'd told him that she didn't love him, and that was that. Whether it was true or not, she shouldn't worry him by avoiding him.

"_Ev'ry so often we long to steal  
To the land of what-might-have-been  
But that doesn't soften the ache we feel  
When reality sets back in"_

She could always dream about what might have happened, but that would never make it real. She probably would always dream. Megan couldn't tell if the empty place in her heart would ever be filled by anyone else.

"_Blithe smile, lithe limb  
She who's winsome, she wins him  
Gold hair with a gentle curl  
That's the girl he chose  
And Heaven knows  
I'm not that girl"_

The girl in the portraits was so beautiful. She was so much more elegant and refined than Megan. With a jolt, Megan realized how she must look to Pegasus. She was some strange, 16-year-old nobody who just happened to win a contest and show up at his home. Why should he ever have noticed her?

"_Don't wish, don't start  
Wishing only wounds the heart  
I wasn't born for the rose and the pearl  
There's a girl I know  
He loves her so  
I'm not that girl"_

0-0-0-0-0

Pegasus was worried again about Megan. Regardless of how she felt, he loved her and wanted to make sure she was okay. His heart thrilled to say he loved her, even just inside his mind.

When she didn't respond from her room, Pegasus went yet again to look for her by the piano. As he got closer, he could hear her voice float through the hallway and hear the off-key plunking notes of her self-accompaniment.

_'I have to teach her piano…' _His thoughts were cut off as he got close enough to make out the lyrics.

_'Why would she sing that…it's probably just something she found…then why does it sound so heartfelt?'_

Pegasus stood for a moment outside the door, just listening to her. Then, thinking and wondering, he left her alone.


	13. A Laugh like Silver Bells

hey again. I was going to use a more plot-developing chapter in this slot, but on the advice of a very thorough critique i received, i decided to write this instead. More plot next time, enjoy

0-0-0-0-0

Wednesday evening, and Megan's departure drew steadily nearer. They spent as much time together as possible, both wanting to stay together and neither wanting the other to know. Though he dreaded the day she would leave his life, and she didn't want to wait, they were content for the time being to just sit and talk.

"....and I found it in the VCR. I don't even know how they got it in there, but it took me, like, three hours to pry it out. I was in there with a freaking butter knife!" Megan had to keep pushing her long hair away from her face as she spoke animatedly about the worst baby-sitting job of her life.

Pegasus sat next to her on a long, soft sofa, shaking with laughter as Megan plowed on with her horror stories.

"…And then, I don't know, they said they were dancing or something but they were just kinda flopping around on the floor, like this, right?" She actually got off the couch and began to flop, like a fish pulled suddenly out of the water. Pegasus threw his head back and laughed, his own long hair falling back to reveal the lavender eye patch he always wore.

Megan climbed back onto the couch, pushing back tousled hair yet again. "So how was your day?"

"Much better after watching that little show," Pegasus chuckled. Megan got up again and took a sweeping bow, and he applauded politely.

"Okay, your turn." Megan sat back, folding her hands and looking intently at Pegasus.

"I don't think I can top that. You're free to keep going, though."

"Ask me a question."

"What?"

"Just ask me something. I dunno what to talk about now."

"Okay…do you have any pets?"

"I got a puppy!" She said this so sweetly, and with such a brilliant smile that Pegasus couldn't help but laugh again. "What? What'd I say?"

_You're just so adorable, I can't help myself, love. _He thought.

"Nothing," he said.

"She's a Labrador, her name's Bernie," Megan went on. "I used to have a hamster but he hated my guts. Then I got a bird but my dad didn't like it. So I gave it to my friend Steph. But Steph already had a cat so that wasn't gonna work out…"

Megan chattered on, leaving Pegasus ample time to just watch her. There were things about her that only a painter would notice, like the tiny scar on her cheek from when she'd tried to give her hamster a kiss, and the exact arch of her smile.

"…So now I have Bernie. How about you?"

Pegasus jerked out of his light stupor. "What?"

"Do you have any pets?"

"There's a cat around here somewhere," he answered, gesturing all around the room to mean the entire castle. Megan giggled.

_A laugh like silver bells_.

"When I was younger I had a rabbit, actually."

"A bunny!? How cute! But why? I thought guys didn't like bunnies."

"Well…" Pegasus smiled elusively, "I had my reasons."

"What?" He didn't answer. Megan barely hesitated before moving closer to him and pulling petulantly on his hair. "What, what, what, what, what?"

Pegasus gently removed her hand from his hair, but didn't let it go. "Come with me and I'll show you." He stood up.

Megan blushed just a little and got up to follow him through the castle. They would their way together through staircases and dark hallways, finally ending up in a room near Pegasus'.

He flicked on the light, and the first thing to hit Megan's eye was a severe overdose of the color pink. The same pink rabbit in red overalls covered the entire room, from the stacks of DVDs to the child-sized chairs bearing its head to the very wallpaper. The carpet was the same bright pink as the rabbit, and one wall was almost obscured by a huge TV and pink DVD player.

Megan just stared into the room for a second while Pegasus stood behind her looking proudly at it. Then she burst out laughing and almost fell to the floor with it.

"What, don't you like it?" Pegasus asked, with a sad little pout on his face, but his eye dancing with the same laughter.

"No, it's not that," Megan choked out through laughs. She took a few deep breaths and calmed down. "My best friend's little sister loves that thing."

"That THING!?" He looked positively appalled, though the same smile shone through his good eye. "That _thing_ is Funny Bunny!"

"Right…" She walked inside blinking quickly against the brightness of the room, and looking around rather confusedly.

He leaned against the doorway (also painted pink). "You've never seen the show, have you?"

"Can't really say I have," Megan replied, picking up a plush rabbit and petting its long ears.

"Oh, it's just the best!" He practically skipped into the room actually leaping over to her and landing with a loud thump. "There was this one time…" it was finally Pegasus' turn to chatter on and on, and he did so gladly. Megan sank into a pink bean-bag chair and listened, trying to hide her smile behind one hand.

"…And it blew up!" He sat on another bean-bag next to her with such an enormous smile that Megan couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"It…it sounds great."

"Doesn't it?" He got up. "Here, let's watch it!" He bounded over to the shelves of DVDs looking for all the world like a six-year old on Christmas morning.

"Oh, well, I mean, uh…" he turned back to look at her with such a pleading look that she had to give in. "Okay, sure."

He smiled brilliantly, put in the disk and sat back down.

His chair slid a little bit closer to Megan's, and she smiled just a little more shyly as they both began to watch.


	14. Of Course

OH MY GOD THIS TOOK TOO LONG! But it's not my fault...entirely. First i lost the opening i'd written for this chapter, and had to do that all over again. then i had my school musical and 50 other things to write so i forgot about this for a while...then once i finally had time today to finish it, the disk it was saved on went bad and i had to start ALL OVER AGAIN! but it's finally done! and the next chapter's gonna be gold, i promise! it's the creamy middle at long last! enjoy!

0-0-0-0-0

Pegasus took Thursday off to spend as much time as was left with Megan. Croquet, always on hand, was treated to a smile on his employer's face that day that hadn't been seen for eight long years. So he was surprised, when he came in that night to bring Pegasus his tea, to see him looking dejected.

"Is something wrong, sir?" he asked, setting the tea tray down on his bedside table.

"Tomorrow's Friday," Pegasus answered simply.

It took a moment before Croquet understood. "Ah, of course. Megan will leave Saturday morning. It will be nice to have some quiet in the castle, won't it?" he asked with an odd smile.

"How shrewd, Croquet," Pegasus sat on his bed and took a teacup from the tray. "If you wanted to know how I feel about her, you could have just asked."

"It isn't my place, sir," Croquet responded, taking the other cup.

"You've known me longer than I have, everything is your place."

"Very well sir. You don't want to see her leave, do you?"

"No." Pegasus put the cup back down and stretched out on his bed. "I want her to stay here forever."

"Forever's quite a long time, sir."

"Of course!"

Croquet smiled fondly. "I haven't seen you this happy since—" he cut off abruptly, pausing for a split second and clearing his throat.

"It's alright, you can say it," Pegasus said, but he turned his head away. "Since Cecilia died." Both men were quiet for a moment, then Pegasus broke the silence. "I…had a dream about her the other night." He looked over at Croquet, who nodded for him to continue. "She was an angel, more beautiful than ever, with huge white, feathered wings. She was flying away, I was chasing after her…and she turned around with that smile…she asked for one last kiss, before I started giving them to another girl. So of course I kissed her…and then she floated away again. 'Don't lose her,' she said. 'Make her as happy as I was.' And then she was gone."

"I think you know what it means, sir," Croquet said hesitantly after a pause.

"No, I'm completely stupid. I can't figure it out at all," Pegasus said to the ceiling, waving one hand in the air as he spoke. "Of course I know what it means."

"Then what's troubling you so much?" asked Croquet.

Pegasus was quiet, but not as if he were angry. He was merely trying to find the words. "Is it…right, do you think? I mean, Cecilia was so delicate and gentle and quiet, Megan is just so…"

"Loud?" Croquet supplied with a wry smile.

Pegasus held up a finger to contradict him, but sighed and put it down, unable to find a better word. "Yes, exactly. But that's not it."

"Not what?"

"The problem." Pegasus sighed and stood up, wandering over to his window. "When I married Cecilia, I promised her never to fall in love with anyone else." He didn't continue, though the thought seemed unfinished.

"…You're in love with her, then? Megan?"

"She's loud, she's innocent, she trips over nothing, she skips through my castle singing nonsense and never leaves my side if she can help it," Pegasus replied, turning back and picking up his cup of tea. "How could I not love her?" He asked, adding liberal amounts of sugar to his tea before sipping it, and adding another spoonful.

"I'm afraid I can't see the problem, sir."

"Croquet, I thought you were intelligent!" Pegasus said with mocking surprise. "I promised…I promised her she'd be the only one."

Croquet, used to following his employer's jumpy train of thought was able to recognize that he was talking about Cecilia now. "But falling in love isn't something you can control, sir. It's one of those things that just…happens."

"Oh, what do you know?" There was a hint of a snap in Pegasus' voice. "Have _you_ ever been married?"

"No, but I did have a good 25 years of life before I started to work for your family, sir," Croquet answered with a smirk. "I knew my share of girls. Trust me, sir, Megan isn't the type you want to let get away."

Pegasus took a rather long drink, considering this for a minute. "Well, it's irrelevant now. She's already told me…she doesn't love me."

Croquet sighed. "Why must you always pick impossible women?"

"I'm just meant to suffer, I suppose," Pegasus replied dramatically. "I've known the pains of sorrow ever since I was ten and they cancelled Funny Bunny."

"And those boys stopped picking on you for watching?" Croquet asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Oh yes, I'd forgotten about them. Thank you for reminding me, I'd known suffering since before that then. Oh, and there was that time when I was seven and I dropped my ice cream at the zoo, and when I was nine my goldfish died and—"

"Sir, this is not the time," Croquet said wearily. "You need to be thinking about other things right now."

"Croquet, I'm surprised at you! Why should I listen to my butler about what to think?" Pegasus asked, but he was smiling.

"Because you're about to lose a wonderful girl if you're not careful. I've always looked out for your well-being, sir. I want you to be happy again."

Pegasus didn't answer for a moment, but drained the last of his tea and put the sugar-encrusted cup back on the tray. "She's already said she doesn't love me. I don't want to bother her with my affections."

"You already told her, and that was her response?"

"Well, no," Pegasus shifted a little. "I mean, it was last week, and that was before she fell ill…"

"So you didn't tell her?" Croquet's eyes didn't leave Pegasus' face, even though the latter looked all around the room to avoid meeting the former's stare.

"Well…..no."

"Sir, please." Croquet put his empty cup down next to Pegasus', got up and took the tray. "At least think about it. Time is running out." With that, Croquet left.

Pegasus tried, but he couldn't deny the truth in what Croquet had said. He paced his room more than a few times before finally deciding, and going to bed.


	15. I love you

hey everyone! sorry for the wait again, and i regret to inform you that the next chapter could easily take longer. This is the creamy center. This is what you've been waiting for, if i've done my job right. So with no further ado, enjoy.

0-0-0-0-0

As everyone knows, the minute one decides to finally do something is the minute they find a way to put it off until the very last minute. Such was the case for Pegasus. Every time he was with Megan on Friday, he either was called away for work or found an excuse to not confess to her. She'd brought up another topic, they didn't have enough time, the setting just wasn't right, the list went on and on. Eventually, it was evening, and she still didn't know.

With a sigh, Pegasus looked at the clock in his study. It was already 10:30, and he was stuck here doing paperwork. Megan was off in her room, and there was enough work to keep him busy long past whenever she went to sleep. He looked blankly at the document in front of him, reading the same line over and over again. It wasn't worth losing Megan to get this done. But all the same, he couldn't make himself get up and go see her.

"Pegasus, you coward…" he chided himself. "You just don't want her to say 'no'…"

And it was true. He'd only had the experience of confessing his love to a girl once before, but he'd been just as nervous and procrastinated just as much that time. Just as he was now, he'd been afraid of rejection. However horrible it was not knowing, it would be worse if he knew she'd said no.

_Would it really be that bad if she got away? _He wondered. He didn't even need to answer himself. He'd never realized the depths of his loneliness without Cecilia until Megan had come in to fill the emptiness. He hadn't known how much he missed having someone to wrap his arms around until he'd found himself longing to wrap them around her. He'd been able to live for years with just a memory, but after finding Megan he couldn't go back. It would be hell if she left his life now.

_Don't be a coward,_ he told himself. _Don't leave this until it's too late…You've only got tonight. _

His thoughts were interrupted, however, by a somewhat timid knock on the door.

"Yes, come in," he said, picking up his head.

Nothing happened for a moment, then the door creaked open slowly. Megan poked her head in the room. "Hey, can I come in?"

"Yes, of course," he answered, pushing some papers off of a chair and pulling it up next to him. "Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing, it's just-" she drew back the hand she'd had reaching a little forward, clenching it into a loose fist as if she was stopping herself from saying something. "It's nothing, just a little lonely."

"Who isn't?" he smiled at her. "Come, sit down."

"Well…I mean, I didn't mean to…to stay long…" She was avoiding his eyes, looking everywhere but at him. "I just…I mean…" with a distressed little sigh, she took a step back toward the door. "It's nothing, nevermind…I shouldn't bother you…"

"What is it? You're not bothering me, this is a perfect excuse to slack off."

She didn't say anything, though it looked like she was trying to force herself to speak. "I…well…I mean…" She looked around the room, tugging absently on a lock of hair and choosing her words very carefully. "I…I don't wanna be a burden or anything…but…but I'm leaving tomorrow…I can't just not tell you…"

Pegasus' heart sped up. Could she really be about to say what he thought she was? Or was he just wishing in vain?

"I…It's hard but…" she looked down at her feet and mumbled, "oh come on, just say it— I LOVE YOU!" She yelled, bringing her head back up and finally looking him tearfully in the face. She immediately looked away again, for the first time since Pegasus had known her looking awkward and shy. "I know…I mean, you love her, don't you? Cecilia." She looked up again, more bold now that she'd said it once. "But I love you…I always have."

Pegasus stood up, pushing his chair behind him. He didn't say anything for a minute, moving rather slowly in front of his desk. "You lied to me, then."  
"What?"

"Last week." He was smiling a little now, but Megan, looking at the floor, couldn't see. "You said you didn't love me."

"Well…I didn't say that…not really. I said I didn't love you like I did when I came here. I…even then, last week I mean…I love you for real now. So I didn't lie." A couple of teardrops fell onto the carpet. "I'm sorry…I didn't want to bother you…not after you told me about her."

"Now why are you crying?" He asked, walking until he was standing right in front of her.

"I—it's just—I don't know."

"You have no reason to cry." He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her into a hug. Her tearful green eyes opened, and she looked up at his smiling face.

"You mean…?" The rest of the words caught in her throat, as sad tears turned to happy ones. But her meaning couldn't have been clearer.

"Yes," he said simply, drawing her closer.

"So _you're _the one who lied," she answered, moving her arms around his waist.

"What? Never!"

She giggled into the soft fabric of his suit at his indignant tone. "You told me it wasn't gonna work, didn't you? You said _you_ didn't love _me_."

"Not in those words."

"But you meant it."

"I never said it. You can't say I said it."

"You were thinking it."

He laughed, and put a hand behind her head. With a slight movement he turned it upward, from his jacket to his face. She giggled again and flushed a delicate pink, but stretched up eagerly to receive the kiss he gave her.

Pegasus smiled and looked over his shoulder at the pile of work that still had to be done. "Come on, I'll put all this away and we can go somewhere more quiet."

"No." She hugged him tighter and started to rock back and forth on her feet. "I don't wanna let go."

He chuckled softly and disengaged her arms from his waist. He laced his fingers through hers. "Then let's just go. There's too much work in here."

"Aw, c'mon," she whined, swinging the hand holding his and leaning onto him. "I dun wanna move."

There was a knock on the door. Megan jumped slightly, straightening herself. Pegasus gently pulled his hand away, and answered it.

"Sir, I really need to collect those papers for—" Croquet cut off seeing Megan in the room. "I can come back tomorrow," he said with the lightest hint of a knowing smile. He ducked back out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Megan giggled, stepping back up to him and taking his hand. "Fine, you win. Let's go." Pulling the door open gently, she walked into the hall and then took off, stopping only for long enough to yell "Catch me if you can!"

Pegasus stood looking after her for a moment, not running until she went to turn a corner so as not to lose her. She must have a great memory, he thought, to know which way his room was from here. And that was just the path she was taking. When he turned the corner, she stood waiting at the bottom of a staircase.

"Slowpoke! C'mon!" She ran up the stairs laughing. And just as happily, laughing just as much, he followed.


	16. Fairy Tale Ending

Pegasus awoke suddenly in the middle of the night, thanks to a snore from Megan. Momentarily, he was startled by the noise, but he chuckled as he saw her sleeping next to him. She was still in her jeans, having not wanted to leave his side long enough to change. One of her arms stretched over his front, the hand entwining itself in his long hair.

Taking care not to disturb Megan, Pegasus pushed the blanket off himself. He'd forgotten how warm it could get with two people in a bed. He smiled to himself, and gently removed his arm from under her head, rubbing it for a moment to remove the prickly feeling.

But even in the calm of the night, Pegasus could not stop his mind from wandering to less pleasant thoughts. It had been the happiest evening he'd had in years, watching her try to resist sleep long enough to speak one more thought. Yet, if anyone found out that they had spent the night together, in the same bed, it would lead to very awkward questions. And with the world the way it was, how many people would believe his denial?

Megan rolled over, unintentionally pulling out a few strands of silver hair as she curled her arm back toward her body. Pegasus winced slightly.

The moon came out from behind a cloud, not quite full, but close enough to be bright. The wan shaft of light poked through a gap in the curtains, landing on Megan's face. Pegasus looked on the scene, thinking absently about the lovely painting it would make, until Megan's eyes twitched, and she rolled over, away from the light. He smiled, and lay back down on the pillow next to her. Carefully, slowly, he wrapped his arms around her sleeping frame and pulled her close to him. He could feel her breathing deeply. His worries floated away, climbing the moonlight out of the room, banished at least for the night.

Whatever was going to happen would. They would simply have to find some way around it. There was nothing to be gained by worrying.

The low, rhythmic sound of her breathing lulled him back to sleep.

0-0-0-0-0

The sun shone brightly over the water the next morning. Megan's father stepped out of Pegasus' jet, visibly impressed with the real estate. Megan burst out of the double entrance doors, running up to her father and hugging him around the middle.

"Daddy you'll never believe it the best thing happened I'm so happy oh Daddy do I have to go I can come back over winter break can't I please please please?"

"Once again dear, and slower," Mr. Hillborough said with a fond smile, quite used to asking his daughter to repeat herself.

"Daddy, he loves me! I told you he was going to, didn't I?"

The smile wavered, as her father blinked several times in succession. "Sweetheart, I think we should get you home. You can talk everything over with Steph, that'll clear it all up."

"Nooo! It's true Daddy," she looked around; Pegasus had left the castle and was standing on the steps behind them, "ask him yourself!"

Pegasus took his cue and stepped up to the reunited family. "Pegasus Crawford, you must me Megan's father. I must say I've enjoyed her company," he said, holding out his hand.

Warily, Mr. Hillborough shook it. "I...ah, thank you? What did she tell me?" He looked confusedly at his daughter, who was beaming at Pegasus. "How old did you say you were?"

"Daddy!"

But Pegasus gave a conceding shrug of his shoulders. "I am twenty-seven in October. And of course we both understand if you are uncomfortable with the situation," he added, with a glance at Megan. She pouted, but nodded. "I must assure you, however, that my intentions are pure."

"Yes, of course..." Mr. Hillborough didn't look convinced. "Come on Megan, we should get home."

"Are you sure? You are both welcome to stay as long as you like. May I offer you tea? Maybe dinner?" Pegasus asked.

"Yeah, Dinner sounds good," Megan agreed. "Maybe breakfast tomorrow."

"Your hamster is going to run out of food," Megan's father reminded her. "Besides, you've had two weeks."

"Was it really that short?" She sighed. "Alright...I'll get to come back over break, won't I?"

"We'll see. I, well, we'll see. Maybe for now you should be...pen pals, or something."

"Daaaad! That's so not as much fun," Megan pouted again, looking to Pegasus to agree with her.

He smiled, head cocking a fraction. "Oh, I don't know. I'll just have to write letters to you every evening, detailing every moment that I've missed you during the day. But if you don't want that..." he trailed off, knowing what her reaction would be.

"Alright dad, pen pals are cool!"

"I'm glad you agree," Mr. Hillborough said, still looking rather awkward. "Say goodbye now, We'll talk more when we get home." He turned around and walked back to the plane, listening closely for any signs of inappropriate conversation.

"I'm sure your father can be convinced to spend the holidays here," Pegasus assured Megan, taking her hands.

"Yeah, but that's gonna be a long way away...Why did you have to be so shy, huh? We could have been together way longer if you'd just told me."

"Me? What about you? I'm not the only one to blame here!"

"Well you're the guy, you're SUPPOSED to confess first!"

"And what part of my lace-wearing, cartoon-watching, dashingly-handsome self seems like a normal guy to you?"

She giggled. "The dashingly handsome bit, of course." She reached a hand up to play with his hair. "Make sure you write. No one's gonna believe me if you don't."

"Every day, my dear." He hugged her tightly, placing a kiss on her forehead. "But you have to write me back, or you'll hurt my feelings."

"I'll even write by candlelight. And I'll send you little charred pieces of paper and you'll have to figure out what they say."

"It's a date."

She stretched her neck up and kissed him, lingered in his arms for a few extra seconds, and finally let go. "I love you."

"And I you. Now run along, I have to start chronicling my miserable life without you in the form of overly long letters."

"Fine." She kissed him again, and went to join her father in the jet. She craned her neck to see him through the window, as he got smaller and smaller, becoming a little red dot on an ocean of blue, and finally nothing at all. She smiled to herself, anxious to get home and tell everyone about her fairy tale.

0-0-0-0-0

alright, for those of you who wanted this update i appologize sincerely for the delay. I honestly lost the muse for this thing. I originally planned to have three 'acts', but on inspection, act 3 was dumb and uneccesary. This will be the end, minus a holiday-themed epilogue that i've wanted to write since last year. Thanks for those of you who hung on, and feel free to check out my other (better) work!


	17. Epilogue: Two years later

Megan woke on Christmas morning to the sounds of music wafting up the many sets of stairs. She sat up and stretched, her face breaking into a smile already. Without even stopping to dress, She pulled a robe over her long nightgown, and headed out the door.

Her long hair flew out behind her, still tangled and mussed from sleep, as she took the steps two and three at a time. Excitement flooded through her, as she anticipated one of the best days of all her eighteen years. It was the first Christmas that they had been able to spend completely together; now that she was an official adult, she'd finally been allowed to spend the break at Duelist Kingdom.

Megan rounded a corner, and the music grew louder. She could place it now, Charlie Brown. She smiled. It was fitting that he'd pick a cartoon, amid all the usual tunes.

The marble stairs were cold under her bare feet. Megan wished she'd thought to put on her slippers.

Finally, after two wrong turns and another set of cold stairs, She came to the end of a hallway to find him.

She stood at the top of yet another set of steps, these with a highly-polished wooden banister, nearly buried in tinsel and fake pine. The room before her was huge, and so was the tree. He had really outdone himself, she thought. It almost reached the ceiling, and was covered in lights and ornaments. He himself stood at the bottom of the stairs, with a sprig of holly in his lapel. He was grinning. So was she.

She started down the stairs (now wincing at the cold, and longing for the carpet she saw in the room), one at a time. Then two. She reached the middle, and took three. Two more. She was almost at the bottom when he opened his arms, and she nearly jumped into them. He whirled her around, placing her gently on the carpet and holding her tight in an embrace.

"Merry Christmas. I thought you'd never wake up."

"Have you been waiting long?"

"Oh, not that long. I'm sure it felt longer than it was." He gave her a quick kiss. "I have a present for you."

"I had hoped," she replied with a smile. They walked together to a small sofa next to the tree.

They sat down, and he took both of her hands. "Megan, these last two years have been wonderful. You've grown so much, you've made me smile, you've made me laugh. You made me happy, when I was starting to think I would never be happy again. And I hope I've done the same for you."

"You have. Always."

"That's good, I'm happy to hear that. There, see? You made me happy again." He smiled at her, and took a deep breath. "I'm about to ask you something that I've only ever asked once before. I thought for a long time I would never want to ask it again. But I can see now I was wrong."

Megan's heart fluttered. _He couldn't mean..._

"I've been thinking about this, it's nothing I would take lightly. I reached the decision about a month ago. It doesn't seem like that long, but I can't imagine that I would want to change my mind. And now I can finally ask you..."

He slid himself off the couch, still holding onto her hands. He removed one of his, and pulled a small box out of his pocket, his gaze never leaving her face. She began to giggle nervously, knowing what was about to come.

He opened the box. Inside was a beautiful diamond ring.

"Megan, will you marry me?"

Megan sat happily stunned for a few moments, chuckling without any sound coming out. She put a hand to her mouth and fought back the happy lump forming in her throat.

"God...I mean, I love you...I'm eighteen...who'd have ever thought I'd get engaged at eighteen...oh my god, this is...Yes, of course I will!"

He stood up with a huge smile to match hers, and they threw their arms around each other again. A few tears of joy soaked into the front of Pegasus' shirt.

He tapped her on the shoulder and pointed up, with another grin. Megan looked above them to see mistletoe hung high on the ceiling. He'd placed it there himself the night before. She laughed, and kissed him.

Never in her entire life would she get such a wonderful gift again.


End file.
